Under the command of several sergeants, more than 30 soldiers have lined up and are ready to go, all equipped with newly equipped flintlock muskets.
Zhao Mengzi looked at his soldiers, nodded, and without saying anything, led them towards the training ground.
The training was intense, focusing on familiarizing themselves with the new weapons' capabilities and close-quarters combat techniques. This was spearmanship, taught by instructors from the martial arts school. It consisted of only a few simple moves and was quite easy to learn. However, mastery required considerable effort.
On the parade grounds, the soldiers of the Association were arriving one after another to form their ranks. Several people were already standing on the platform. They were the Association's senior officers, including the commander, Jin Guofeng.
The officers on the stage were all very serious, staring at the increasing number of officers and soldiers below.
Jin Guofeng has been assigned to defend Dalinghhe City and knows the next plan of the headquarters.
Jinzhou was obviously larger and more important than Dalinghe City, but Dalinghe City was the eastern barrier of Jinzhou. If the Jiannu attacked, Dalinghe City would bear the brunt of the attack and be the first to be attacked.
Jin Guofeng not only knew the next battle plan, but also knew that once attacked by the enemy, Ningyuan would not prepare direct reinforcements, but would act from the flank and rear of the Jiannu, using indirect means to force the Jiannu to retreat.
If the food and supplies can last for two months, I can hold on for two months.
Jin Guofeng was not worried or afraid, or even dissatisfied, because he was asked to "defend the city to the death". Instead, he was excited and proud.
Xiong Tingbi told him that this was the emperor's personal appointment, including He Kegang who was guarding Jinzhou.
How much trust and importance is this?
Jin Guofeng didn't know why the emperor, whom he had only met twice, was so fond of him and trusted him so much.
But this is not important, being on the front line gives you the opportunity to kill the enemy and make meritorious service. Generals like Huang Degong and Zhu Mei are very jealous!
The troops led by him and He Kegang were the first to change their equipment and start training. It is not an exaggeration to say that they are now the strongest army in Liaozhen.
After the great victory in the Ningyuan Defense Battle, the Liaozhen officers and soldiers had greater confidence in relying on their defensive positions. Jin Guofeng was particularly so, and he was looking forward to the Jiannu attack, hoping to suffer a bloody defeat.
The noise and bustle on the training ground died down, and the officers and soldiers lined up in neat rows, waiting quietly for their superiors' orders.
Jin Guofeng coughed dryly and glanced politely at the two men on his left and right. One was the military inspector, the other a military judge. They could be considered his right-hand man, or a supervisor, but they had no right to interfere in military matters.
The supply officer smiled and stepped back a little. His meaning was very clear: please let the commander speak.
The military judge's face remained serious, and he extended his hand in a gesture of invitation. His uniform was slightly different, with a red band on his left arm with the word "Xian" written in white on it.
Indeed, military police had already appeared in the Ming army, with Liaozhen and Dongjiangzhen being the first to appear. Maintaining discipline and punishing violations, they were increasingly becoming a force to be feared by officers and soldiers.
Jin Guofeng nodded politely again, took a step forward, and began to announce the training and mobilization plans loudly.
Almost at the same time, the same scene occurred on Juehua Island. He Kegang, who was ordered to lead his troops to garrison Jinzhou, also spoke to his officers and soldiers.
The sea was covered with sails as another batch of military supplies arrived in Juehua from Tianjin. Food, ammunition, muskets, artillery pieces, Wugang carts, iron wire, and other supplies laid the foundation for the victory of the Ming army's advance in western Liaoning.
....................
The waves surged and hit the beach, rolling up a pile of waves and foam.
The sea ship transporting supplies had already sailed away, and even the sails had disappeared without a trace. Only then did Mao Wenlong withdraw his gaze.
After he came to his senses, he realized that the tide had soaked the soles of his boots. He smiled indifferently and turned to walk to the shore.
Several officers were talking loudly, but when they saw the Marshal approaching, they stopped talking and looked at him intently.
Mao Wenlong waved his hand, signaling the officers to follow him towards the island.
"The Liaozhen's eastward advance is of paramount importance. The Dongjiang, Deng, and Jin garrisons must all cooperate." Mao Wenlong slowed his pace and spoke in a deep voice, "Although it's a cooperative operation, our army must also make achievements. Western and southern Liaoning have already put pressure on the Jiannu, and our Dongjiang garrison must seize this opportunity to reclaim lost territory in Liaodong."
Chen Jisheng understood Mao Wenlong's thoughts and plans best. Zhenjiang was not only the place where Captain Mao became famous, but also the key to setting foot in Liaodong and recovering lost territory.
Southern Liaoning was certainly important, but Mao Wenlong's headquarters was still in Dongjiang, which was like a dagger in the Jiannu's back. Unless the Jiannu abandoned their old nest and made Liaoshen their new base.
The political significance of the campaign to conquer Jianzhou was extraordinary, but even the recovery of Liaoning fell short.
Of course, as a whole, the achievements of Zhang Pan and Kong Youde in southern Liaoning were also due to Mao Wenlong. However, because of Xiong Tingbi in western Liaoning, Mao Wenlong preferred to stay in Dongjiang, leaving Zhang Pan and others in the middle.
It wasn't a matter of grudges, but everyone has likes and dislikes. Mao Wenlong didn't know if Xiong Tingbi still held a grudge, but he figured staying away would mean less trouble.
After all, Xiong Tingbi was the governor of Liaodong and also served as the governor, and his official rank was much higher than Mao Wenlong.
Therefore, Mao Wenlong hoped that Liaozhen could advance forward to oppress the Jiannu and tie down their military strength; at the same time, he did not want to advance too quickly to buy time for Dongjiangzhen to establish a base on the Liaodong land.
From a strategic perspective, Mao Wenlong certainly attached the most importance to Zhenjiang. Together with Yizhou and Tieshan, it was located on both sides of the river, allowing for free advance and retreat, and both offensive and defensive capabilities.
Moreover, if Zhenjiang could be held, it would form a pincer attack with Liaonan, or even become one with it. In that case, the entire situation in Liaodong would be reversed, and the Jiannu would be doomed to fail soon.
Mao Wenlong only told Chen Jisheng about these ideas. Others might have guessed them, but not completely.
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